diff --git a/modules/file/file.field.inc b/modules/file/file.field.inc
index 319cd58..e7b2a6b 100644
--- a/modules/file/file.field.inc
+++ b/modules/file/file.field.inc
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ function file_field_info() {
         'file_directory' => '',
         'max_filesize' => '',
         'description_field' => 0,
+        'description_field_default' => '',
       ),
       'default_widget' => 'file_generic',
       'default_formatter' => 'file_default',
@@ -116,6 +117,19 @@ function file_field_instance_settings_form($field, $instance) {
     '#weight' => 11,
   );
 
+  $form['description_field_default'] = array(
+    '#type' => 'textfield',
+    '#title' => t('Default file description'),
+    '#default_value' => isset($settings['description_field_default']) ? $settings['description_field_default']: '',
+    '#size' => 60,
+    '#weight' => 12,
+    '#states' => array(
+      'visible' => array(
+        ':input[name="instance[settings][description_field]"]' => array('checked' => TRUE),
+      ),
+    ),
+  );
+
   return $form;
 }
 
@@ -595,7 +609,7 @@ function file_field_widget_value($element, $input = FALSE, $form_state) {
   $return += array(
     'fid' => 0,
     'display' => 1,
-    'description' => '',
+    'description' => '#DESCRIPTION',
   );
 
   return $return;
@@ -634,10 +648,14 @@ function file_field_widget_process($element, &$form_state, $form) {
 
   // Add the description field if enabled.
   if (!empty($instance['settings']['description_field']) && $item['fid']) {
+    $description_value = isset($item['description']) ? $item['description'] : '';
+    if ($description_value == '#DESCRIPTION') {
+      $description_value = isset($instance['settings']['description_field_default']) ? $instance['settings']['description_field_default'] : '';
+    }
     $element['description'] = array(
       '#type' => variable_get('file_description_type', 'textfield'),
       '#title' => t('Description'),
-      '#value' => isset($item['description']) ? $item['description'] : '',
+      '#value' => $description_value,
       '#maxlength' => variable_get('file_description_length', 128),
       '#description' => t('The description may be used as the label of the link to the file.'),
     );